Florida is the Sunshine State, though these days it might be more closely associated with Florida orange juice and hot Latin American rhythms. Florida is a tropical state of 18 million people, and counting, as thousands of people make a permanent move to Florida each year for its mild climate, strong economy and low cost of living.
Florida’s heart lies in trendy Miami, which is heavily influenced by its proximity to the countries of the Caribbean and South and Central America. About 20% of all Florida residents are Hispanic, and they are primarily located in Miami. Fully 64% of the population of Miami is Hispanic. Of that, almost 20% are black and of Hispanic ethnicity. Non-Hispanic whites make up only about 35% of the population. Miami may be Florida’s most cosmopolitan city, but it is by no means its only city. Florida is quite urbanized, and Miami isn’t even its largest city. Florida’s largest city is Jacksonville, in the northern part of the state. Other major metropolitan areas include Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Tallahassee – the state capital.
Florida’s economy is driven by tourism. As a peninsula, Florida is surrounded by the warmer region of the Atlantic Ocean and the balmy Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. With over 660 miles of beaches, it almost goes without saying that Florida is renowned for miles and miles of soft white sand and clear blue waves. Though no trip to Florida would be complete without a stop at the beach, there are many other attractions in Florida. Florida is home to Disneyworld, Busch Gardens and many other amusement parks. Uberchic Miami Beach is the hottest place to see and be seen. Its trendy bars, nightclubs, restaurants and boutiques are frequented by celebrities and wealthy jet setters alike. Besides tourism, Florida’s economy is supported by agriculture, particularly citrus cultivation. Florida has some mining operations, and is developing an aerospace industry centered around NASA’s Cape Canaveral. It can hardly be surprising that Miami is a hub of international trade.
If the charm of Florida is that it’s surrounded by warm ocean waters, that is also its danger. Florida has a subtropical climate, which delivers balmy tropical breezes that can turn into violent hurricane force winds in an instant. The Florida coasts are frequently battered by hurricanes for six months of the year, as hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. Because it is the place where cool Atlantic weather and warm Gulf Coast weather collide, central Florida experiences more thunderstorms per year than any other place in the nation. Florida’s interior also receives tornadoes and hail. The Florida panhandle is subject to the same type of weather occurrences, but they tend to mitigated in this part of the state. The panhandle is known for its lush swamp and marshlands (the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee are perhaps the most famous examples) which serve as a natural shock absorber to the storms.
